On CNN’s Reliable Sources, host Brian Stelter opened the show on Sunday with a panel discussion on the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Being a media focused show, Stelter and his guests focused heavily on the media coverage in the aftermath of the court’s ruling on Friday.
Stelter took issue with the split screens that many television news networks used with pictures of pro-life people cheering one one side and pro-abortion activists crying and screaming on the other. That 50/50 split made Stelter upset because, according to him Americans’ opinion on abortion isn’t split 50/50.
“I see all these split screen images. One person who’s cheering, another person who’s jeering. I see tears on one side and then I see celebrations on the other. That 50/50 split, isn't that actually misleading, isn’t that actually distorting?” Stelter whined.
In response, former covert abortion activist turned overt abortion activist Kate Smith of the baby murder mill Planned Parenthood agreed: “Absolutely, Brian. That is a complete distortion of the facts that we know about how people feel about abortion access and specifically the legality of abortion.”
Smith added that “we know that eight in ten Americans want abortion to be legal. So when you put that split screen up of one person who loves it and one who hates it, well that’s completely ignoring the facts.”
Stelter jumped in to tout a new poll from CBS News which reportedly shows “nine percent of Americans say illegal in all cases. The rest say either illegal in most cases, legal in most cases, or legal in all cases. Only nine percent of Americans say it should be completely illegal in their state” Stelter excitedly announced.
Smith bemoaned that “we have states that are doing exactly that. Before the Roe ruling we saw Oklahoma pass a ban on abortion at fertilization. I mean, how many Americans agree with that?”
According to Stelter, showing both sides of an issue isn’t fairness or objectivity. Fairness would be featuring a side based on the percentage of the public’s approval. Stelter once again outs himself as the Democrat operative he is.
This preposterous segment was made possible by Volkswagen. Their information is linked.
To read the relevant transcript click "expand":
CNN’s Reliable Sources
6/26/2022
11:07:21 a.m. EasternBRIAN STELTER: Think about this in the coverage in the last couple days. Kate, I see all these split screen images. One person who’s cheering, another person who’s jeering. I see tears on one side and then I see celebrations on the other. That 50/50 split, isn't that actually misleading, isn’t that actually distorting?
KATE SMITH: Absolutely, Brian. That is a complete distortion of the facts that we know about how people feel about abortion access and specifically the legality of abortion. We know that eight in ten Americans want abortion to be legal. So when you put that split screen up of one person who loves it and one who hates it, well that’s completely ignoring the facts.
STELTER: Which to be fair we are doing right now.
SMITH: Well where is your news director? No, I'm kidding you.
STELTER: It is all me. I choose the videos. But I did this on purpose because I do think this is part of the issue. New CBS polling from your alma mater today, abortion in your state should be what? Nine percent of Americans say illegal in all cases. The rest say either illegal in most cases, legal in most cases, or legal in all cases. Only nine percent of Americans say it should be completely illegal in their state.
SMITH: And yet we have states that are doing exactly that. Before the Roe ruling we saw Oklahoma pass a ban on abortion at fertilization. I mean, how many Americans agree with that?
